High Anti-Corruption Court judges fail to elect head amid repeat vote

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Judges of Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) have failed to elect the newly created court's chief justice amid a repeat vote.

Both shortlisted candidates did not receive a majority of votes from HACC members during a repeat vote on Tuesday: judge Oleh Pavlyshyn from the Appeals Chamber received 15 votes, and judge of the first-instance court Olena Tanasevych – 16. There are a total of 38 judges.

Inasmuch as no other procedure is provided for, nomination, debate and voting will be repeated from the start.

A recess has been called until 15:00 Kyiv time on May 7.

Acting chief judge Pavlyshyn told journalists that consultations would be held during the recess.

"Judges want the vote," he said, adding that a candidate must receive at least 20 votes. He added the judges should decide on the date when the court should start work.

"There are two dates – in August and September," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, none of the three candidates received support of the majority of HACC judges during the first vote attempt. Judge Markian Halabala received nine votes, Tanasevych had 15 and Pavlyshyn had 14.